A young boy, on a visit to his mother’s ancestral home in Meerut (North Western India), is left fascinated by a bright yellow find. So contrastingly different from the usual fiery reds and deep greens, this prized yellow chili happened to fall in the hands of a boy destined to be arguably India’s most celebrated chefs, Sanjeev Kapoor himself.

You’d think launching a book inspired by your restaurant, where you share recipes of items on the menu, would be like selling trade secrets. But India’s busiest chef, Sanjeev Kapoor, has no such insecurities. The Yellow Chilli book, launched in 2012, became a bestseller, and the restaurant, a casual dining chain, now has more than 40 outlets across India. The fourth Yellow Chilli in the UAE recently opened in BurJuman.

We went on a Friday and it was packed. Positioned as a pocket-friendly restaurant with a high-end soul, the food is designed to represent the length and breath of India. For those who don’t know Indian food, that’s a lot of ground to cover.